Pursuing an interest in that most classical of jazz formats – a horn with a piano trio – Óskar founded the quartet MOVE with Eyþór Gunnarsson (piano), Valdimar Kolbeinn Sigurjónsson (upright bass) and Matthías M. D. Hemstock (drums). The group embarked on a regimen of weekly rehearsals in 2017, and has since been on a non-stop search for new angles of approach to their original compositions. All members have contributed prolifically to Icelandic music, and are known for an individual approach to their art. Some of the challenges that the group mentions are: whether their compositions and ensemble playing are coloured by norms of what is allowed or forbidden, and whether widely accepted conventions, such as those governing the “correct” usage of the Icelandic language, affect their musical creation and interpretation. The end goal, they state, is to break free of such hindrances, and instead roam free.

In demand as a saxophonist ever since he was a teenager, Óskar Guðjónsson cites jazz, and improvised music in general, as closest to his heart. The jazz-adjacent group ADHD, of which he is a member (along with his brother Ómar Guðjónsson, Magnús Trygvason Eliassen and Tómas Jónsson) has built a sizeable international audience, and the group frequently tours Northern Europe. Óskar also credits his collaborations with composer and bass player Skúli Sverrisson – which has yielded two records and many concerts to date – with opening his eyes to new possibilities in improvisation.

Óskar Guðjónsson, saxophone

Eyþór Gunnarsson, piano

Valdimar Kolbeinn Sigurjónsson, bass

Matthías MD Hemstock, drums